Cooper Mountain residents leery of mine

A regional mining company is asking Washington County to
mark 100 acres on Cooper Mountain for mining use so it can
continue its operations in the area for up to 20 more years.

The county is considering adding a designation for mining on
two properties now zoned for farm and forest use.

Glacier Northwest Inc., which operates on the Cobb Rock
Quarry site contiguous to the proposed location, says it
wants to acquire the property because it has almost finished
digging out the mine's rock -- work that began in the
1950s.

But some Cooper Mountain residents are raising questions of
noise, possible well water contamination and unaddressed
environmental impacts if the company was allowed to continue
its work.

The county's planning commission will hold a public
hearing beginning at 1:30 p.m. today in the auditorium of
the county building, 155 N. First Ave., Hillsboro. In
September, county commissioners will hold a hearing on the
ordinance.

The county says it will use state administrative rules to
evaluate whether the site qualifies for the proposed
designation.

Glacier Northwest proposes that it will mine and blast on
the site, which has a projected 23 million tons of
aggregate. Rock would be transported within the
company's property to Cobb Rock Quarry for processing.

Bob Short, company spokesman, said the company has options
to buy the two properties in question. He added that the
financial benefits are huge because the company
wouldn't spend billions of dollars to relocate
equipment to a far-away site. Much of Glacier's product
is used to construct buildings and roads, he said, with more
than half of it being sold to local agencies, such as school
districts, cities, counties.

"Aggregate is not distributed uniformly across the
landscape," Short said. "You dig it where it is.
It's not something that is just anywhere."

But some nearby homeowners say Glacier has not answered all
of their questions about how they will be affected by work
at the proposed Wenzel Quarry, named for one of the families
that Glacier wants to buy land from.

In addition, county staff members say they need more
information from Glacier. Aside from posing questions more
about traffic impacts, storm water, blasting plans and other
issues, staff has recommended the planning commission
continue the ordinance hearing to next week.

Steve Starkel, who lives near the proposed site, said he was
concerned about noise, dust, light and silica -- "the
airborne aspect of crushing rock that is a known
carcinogen."

He added, "You have the beep-beep-beep of the machinery
backing up at all hours of the day and night. You have to
live there to understand it."

According to Glacier's application, mining operations
would be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Blasting
would be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday.

About 90 Cooper Mountain residents met Sunday to discuss
concerns including well water and other environmental
impacts. Resident Don Hornschuch said there are some streams
and wetlands in the area that could be affected along with
groundwater.

"A lot of neighbors are on wells in the area,"
Hornschuch said.

Starkel also said residents are concerned about a decline in
home values, especially since they bought their homes
knowing that resources at the mine were dwindling.

"Everyone who purchased in the area were all under the
impression that the mine was going away," Starkel said.

But Short said the company's continued work would
benefit the community.

"We have a product that is, in effect, a community
resource," Short said. "And it is a product that
is used by everybody whether they realize it or not."

Cooper Mountain residents leery of mine

A regional mining company is asking Washington County to
mark 100 acres on Cooper Mountain for mining use so it can
continue its operations in the area for up to 20 more years.

The county is considering adding a designation for mining on
two properties now zoned for farm and forest use.

Glacier Northwest Inc., which operates on the Cobb Rock
Quarry site contiguous to the proposed location, says it
wants to acquire the property because it has almost finished
digging out the mine's rock -- work that began in the
1950s.

But some Cooper Mountain residents are raising questions of
noise, possible well water contamination and unaddressed
environmental impacts if the company was allowed to continue
its work.

The county's planning commission will hold a public
hearing beginning at 1:30 p.m. today in the auditorium of
the county building, 155 N. First Ave., Hillsboro. In
September, county commissioners will hold a hearing on the
ordinance.

The county says it will use state administrative rules to
evaluate whether the site qualifies for the proposed
designation.

Glacier Northwest proposes that it will mine and blast on
the site, which has a projected 23 million tons of
aggregate. Rock would be transported within the
company's property to Cobb Rock Quarry for processing.

Bob Short, company spokesman, said the company has options
to buy the two properties in question. He added that the
financial benefits are huge because the company
wouldn't spend billions of dollars to relocate
equipment to a far-away site. Much of Glacier's product
is used to construct buildings and roads, he said, with more
than half of it being sold to local agencies, such as school
districts, cities, counties.

"Aggregate is not distributed uniformly across the
landscape," Short said. "You dig it where it is.
It's not something that is just anywhere."

But some nearby homeowners say Glacier has not answered all
of their questions about how they will be affected by work
at the proposed Wenzel Quarry, named for one of the families
that Glacier wants to buy land from.

In addition, county staff members say they need more
information from Glacier. Aside from posing questions more
about traffic impacts, storm water, blasting plans and other
issues, staff has recommended the planning commission
continue the ordinance hearing to next week.

Steve Starkel, who lives near the proposed site, said he was
concerned about noise, dust, light and silica -- "the
airborne aspect of crushing rock that is a known
carcinogen."

He added, "You have the beep-beep-beep of the machinery
backing up at all hours of the day and night. You have to
live there to understand it."

According to Glacier's application, mining operations
would be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Blasting
would be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday.

About 90 Cooper Mountain residents met Sunday to discuss
concerns including well water and other environmental
impacts. Resident Don Hornschuch said there are some streams
and wetlands in the area that could be affected along with
groundwater.

"A lot of neighbors are on wells in the area,"
Hornschuch said.

Starkel also said residents are concerned about a decline in
home values, especially since they bought their homes
knowing that resources at the mine were dwindling.

"Everyone who purchased in the area were all under the
impression that the mine was going away," Starkel said.

But Short said the company's continued work would
benefit the community.

"We have a product that is, in effect, a community
resource," Short said. "And it is a product that
is used by everybody whether they realize it or not."